Welsh Tory leader in trouble over 20mph tweet

Andrew RT Davies was formally reprimanded by fellow Senedd members following an investigation into a tweet describing 20mph as a 'blanket' policy.

Douglas Bain, the standards commissioner, concluded Mr Davies breached the code of conduct by continuing to use the term despite a ruling it was 'imprecise and inaccurate'.

The Tory was found to have brought the Senedd into disrepute but cleared of breaking rules on honesty, with Mr Bain saying: “I am satisfied it was not his intention to deceive anyone.”

In his report, Mr Bain wrote: “When he posted the tweet the member knew – or ought to have known that – although it was not untruthful or dishonest, it was false."

The politician, who has led the Tory group in two stints since 2011, did not attend the debating chamber on November 6 as his peers agreed to censure him.

Hannah Blythyn, who chairs the standards committee, raised concerns about a steady increase in complaints about Senedd members’ conduct on social media.

She said: “I would like to take this opportunity to remind members: while we recognise that social media is a tool that has the potential to be used effectively for communication and debate, it is for members to determine the accuracy of information they are posting.”

Senedd members backed the motion to endorse the committee’s recommendation with no objection from the Conservative benches, doing away with the need for a vote.

Mr Davies was also found to have breached rules following a separate complaint about a “misleading and dangerous” tweet but the Senedd agreed to take no further action on this.

Labour’s Lee Waters, who introduced the default 20mph policy, said: “Describing the change in speed limit as a blanket one, when it only applies to a minority of roads, is clearly deliberate and intended to mislead. But this isn’t some jolly jape, lives are at stake, and confusion is sowed by inaccurate use of language.”